(Nanowerk News) The Russian Nanotechnology Corporation has recently launched its first 20 million dollar investment project - nano optic lenses. The first production line will open in 4 years.

The corporation's managing director, Dionis Gordin, told Business Today that the aim is to demonstrate that private-state partnerships can be an effective instrument to develop high-technology in Russia and abroad.

"Russian Nanotechnology Corporation buys an equity share in a company, but we are ready to exit the company when it will no longer needs our help. We are the institute of development. We carry out scientific and technical research on the projects and hedge the risks of co-investor and producer. The corporation has been established to break down administrative barriers. That's why we take an active part in lawmaking - we want better legislation for promotional zones, venture funds and shareholder law."

He added that the new technology will help bring smaller and cheaper lenses to market.

"The Russian State Nanotechnology Corporation has so far approved one project - that's a nano-factory for A-spherical optical lenses. This project is oriented towards the production of new and cheaper adaptive optics. We're targeting the general market. Television cameramen and photographers currently use large lenses. Thanks to aspherical optics, we can make them smaller and cheaper.

We've already secured approval from the authorities and we've invested 13 million euros into the project so far. The first tools to produce aspherical optics will be made in two years, and production will begin in four."